The world in the 21st century continues to witness complex and unpredictable changes. Deepening globalization exerts impacts on all countries. Countries, large or small, have been actively engaged in international integration. Peace, cooperation and development remain the prevailing trend, reflecting the pressing demand of all nations during their development process. However, local wars, armed conflicts, racial and religious conflicts, arm race, acts of intervention and sabotage and terrorism were witnessed in many places with increasingly complex nature and diverse forms.

The 21st century presents both opportunities and challenges. Following nearly two decades of carrying out the Doimoi renewal policy, Vietnam's strength and position have been significantly improved. The country possesses the great advantage of political and social stability. The international environment of peace, cooperation and integration other positive trends provides favourable conditions for Vietnam to build on its internal synergy and comparative advantages while soliciting external resources. However, challenges facing Viet Nam is enormous. The 8th Party Congress held in 1996 identified four threats, which include lagging further behind economically compared with other countries in the region and the world, departure from socialism, corruption and bureaucracy, and peaceful evolution pursued by hostile forces. These threats still exist with complex developments, which are intertwined and inter-related.

To further build on the remarkable achievements recorded after nearly two decades of implementing the doi moi policy and head for a Viet Nam of rich people, strong country, just, democratic and civilized society, the Party and State of Viet Nam perseveres with the foreign policy of independence, sovereignty, openness, multilateralization, diversification of external relations and proactive integration into the world under the motto: Viet Nam is willing to become a friend and reliable partner of all countries in the world community, striving for peace, independence and development.

Along that line, our policy is to expand multi-sided, bilateral and multilateral cooperation with countries and territories, with great importance attached to neighbouring and regional countries, major powers, economic and political centers, international and regional organizations on the basis of respect for principles of International Law and the United Nations Charter. In recent years, Viet Nam has proactively negotiated and signed a number of frameworks guiding the friendship and comprehensive relations in the 21st century with other countries within and without the region. The important agreements signed include the Viet Nam-US Bilateral Trade Agreement, Viet Nam-China Land Border Treaty, Viet Nam-China Agreements on the Delimitation of the Tonkin Gulf and Fishery Cooperation, and the Viet Nam-Indonesia Agreement on the Delimitation of the Continental Shelf Boundary, etc. These bilateral and multilateral relations have been of great help for maintaining an international peaceful and stable environment, and creating favorable for national construction and safeguarding.

As the the world becomes more globalized and the science-technology revolution advances with high speed, one major task of the Party and State is to proactively promote international integration, first and foremost in the economic field. In this process, high on Viet Nam's agenda are to expand external economic relations, widen and diversify markets and take advantage of capital, managerial experience and advanced technology for national industrialisation and modernisation.

Viet Nam has played an active and effective role in many regional organizations such as ASEAN, APEC, ASEM and is negotiating for an early accession to the WTO. Viet Nam's contributions to international organizations and forums have helped raise its position and prestige in the international arena. Viet Nam's active role in the UN is recognized and highly valued by many countries, thus serving as the solid ground for Viet Nam's candidacy for a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council in the 2008-2009 term.

Aware of the fact that the world today is confronted with various global issues which cannot be resolved by countries individually, Viet Nam has been cooperating closely with other countries and regional and international organizations to address common challenges such as epidemic, poverty, transnational crimes, environmental pollution, and drug trafficking, etc. Especially since the September 11th event, Viet Nam has joined other countries in combating terrorism on the bilateral and multilateral basis to root out the threat of terrorism against national security and stability.

The efforts which Viet Nam has deployed clearly showed its sense of responsibility towards regional and international friends, thus contributing to the common cause of mankind for the sake of peace, stability and development ./.